Wtf!??

[302_Stranger]

Ok so i bought a 1986 ford ranger about two weeks ago and was told it ran good and all it needed was a new clutch.Well , i bought a clutch kit , had my flywheel resurfaced , etc and installed it all. Afterwards , i throw a battery on the truck in an attempt to start it and all i get is this pop sound.Ok , so i go make sure the cables have good connection and i know the battery has charge because i charged it all night basically , and i get back in the truck and try'd it again...once again , pop. So i get to thinking , it sounds like it coming from the starter relay thing (thing bolted on the fender basically right beside the batt.)So my dad had a new one and i replaced it. Still only a pop , ended up switching starters as well..STILL pops...wtf could it be? anyone have any ideas? Oh yes..the motor is a 2.3 out of an '89 mustang..lol

[Mutant Pony]

Where is the battery ground cable bolted? Check that.

[Wicked_Sludge]

get a socket and breaker bar on the dampener pulley bolt and see if the motor will turn over. its possible you have a seized motor on your hands.

[302_Stranger]

Where is the battery ground cable bolted? Check that.

The frame....i was wondering about that as well..Is it supposed to be bolted to the frame??

[302_Stranger]

get a socket and breaker bar on the dampener pulley bolt and see if the motor will turn over. its possible you have a seized motor on your hands.

The motor does turn over. I made sure to check that before i put the tranny back in. After i bolted up the flywheel i grabed it and gave it a few turns , feels good.

[alittlelow]

With the key forward, put it in neutral with the emergency brake on and touch the two posts of the solenoid together with an insulated screwdriver. If it turns over then your problem is a clutch safety switch on the clutch rod on the inside of the cab, the ignition switch on the steering column, or the intertia switch under the passenger side dash on the firewall. If it doesn't turn over, try running a new ground from the frame to the motor and the frame to the body (firewall). If that doesn't work, run a 4 gauge hot wire from the battery to the starter, and from the battery to the solenoid (the side that goes to the distribution box). Best of luck sonny.

[Dave R]

or the intertia switch under the passenger side dash on the firewall.
The crash switch will not prevent the engine from cranking over, it only prevents the fuel pump from turning on. Otherwise, some good suggestions.

[shadetree]

Also, you need the ground on the engine, not the frame. Automobile starters are as close to a dead short as you can get with an electrical device. They need a good solid ground to work properly, and they are connected to the engine, not the frame. Alternative would be to run a solid ground from the engine to the frame. shady

[302_Stranger]

With the key forward, put it in neutral with the emergency brake on and touch the two posts of the solenoid together with an insulated screwdriver. If it turns over then your problem is a clutch safety switch on the clutch rod on the inside of the cab, the ignition switch on the steering column, or the intertia switch under the passenger side dash on the firewall. If it doesn't turn over, try running a new ground from the frame to the motor and the frame to the body (firewall). If that doesn't work, run a 4 gauge hot wire from the battery to the starter, and from the battery to the solenoid (the side that goes to the distribution box). Best of luck sonny.

I tried the whole screwdriver thing and still i get the same "pop" noise.

But i will deffinatly try what else you said..thanks a million

[302_Stranger]

Also, you need the ground on the engine, not the frame. Automobile starters are as close to a dead short as you can get with an electrical device. They need a good solid ground to work properly, and they are connected to the engine, not the frame. Alternative would be to run a solid ground from the engine to the frame. shady

Well see the ground wire that runs to the relay thing was bolted (not tightly) to a hole in the frame right beside my exhaust manifold.I didnt think it was supposed to go there.Also the wire is basically 40% naked and in bad shape it seems like. I dont know if that matters , just saying..Its getting really annoying.Thats the only thing left to do then i can drive it.

[84Ranger4X4]

My ground wire is bolted to one of the starter bolts on my 87 Ranger 2.3. Hell it looks just like your truck in the picture. lol

[ToyTruck]

Where is the popping noise coming from? If its coming from the starter, it sounds like you just have a bad starter. If that noise is coming from the starter solenoid, well...there you go.

As far as the grounding issue...I'd make sure that there is a really good ground between the engine block and the negative terminal on the battery. Shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so don't make the current have to travel any farther than absolutely necessary. If it was me, I'd run a strand of 4ga welding lead, with ring terminals of course, from one of the mounting bolts on the starter up to the negative terminal on the battery.You just won't get a better ground path than that.

My money is on a dead starter probably brought on by a few years of abuse behind a poor ground.

[84Ranger4X4]

He said he changed the relay and the starter already. Get a new ground cable and run it down to the starter bolt. Also check the cable running from your starter relay down to the starter.

[shadetree]

Well see the ground wire that runs to the relay thing was bolted (not tightly) to a hole in the frame right beside my exhaust manifold.I didnt think it was supposed to go there.Also the wire is basically 40% naked and in bad shape it seems like. I dont know if that matters , just saying..Its getting really annoying.Thats the only thing left to do then i can drive it.
NONE OF THE WIRES FROM THE FENDER RELAY ARE GROUND WIRES. The battery ground cable goes directly to the engine from the battery ground post.

The wires to the relay are battery positive. One side of the relay will be from the battery, and the cable on the other side of the relay will go to the starter terminal. Wiring that supplies the truck electrical system will be on the battery cable side of the relay.

The relay usually uses the mounting bolt as a ground for the relay coil. Make sure the mounting bolt for the relay is tight.

If the cables are frayed and worn, replace them.

If the cable from the relay is touching ground, it will pop, loudly, when you turn on the key as it is a direct short. shady

[COPPERHEAD85]

had the same problem with mine till i ran a ground from the relay bracket to frame where everythings grounded .....problem solved.
i used undercoating on the inner fender and was not getting ground at the mounting point of the relay bracket.

[ToyTruck]

Sorry...I missed the fact that you had already swapped the starter and solenoid.

Shadetree is right. No wire attached to the started relay should go directly to ground. You should have a big, fat, red wire coming from the battery to the solenoid. Attached to that same side of the solenoid should be another, slightly thinner, wire that leads off to you relay box and fuses. There should be a little tiny wire attached to a little spade connector on top. That's your ignition switch. Then there should be a big fat, usually red, wire that runs down to the starter. That's it.

Based on your description of it, saying its 40% bare, I'd replace that cable. And just because I'm kinda anal that way, I'd also run a solid ground from engine block to battery. But that's just me.

[302_Stranger]

Thanks alot for the info guys..i tried the whole jumper cable thing today and still couldnt get it to do anything.I need to make a video of the noise its making so you guys will know for sure what im talking about just to make sure and show you where its coming from and all.

I do believe i will get some new wire and try to mess with the ground a tad..haha electrical stuff is NOT my cup of tea.

[302_Stranger]

Well , i crawled under the truck today , unbolted the ground from the frame , removed the top starter bolt and stuck the ground on there , following it with the bolt then tightened it up..AND IT WORKED! yes! finally..it turned over.

Thanks for all the help!

[84Ranger4X4]

Glad it worked. How is she running?

[302_Stranger]

Glad it worked. How is she running?

She isnt..lol..I turned it over a few times and nothing..but i guess after sitting up for a while you cant expect much.There was a very weak fuel scent , like the gas is heavily watered down.Today im gonna put some new fuel in it and see if i cant get it to run.

Also i was wondering , did the 86 have the mechanical fuel pump??

[Dave R]

did the 86 have the mechanical fuel pump??

If it's an EFI motor, and nearly all '86 2.3's were, then no, the '86 would have had an electric pump, or two depending on the system.

[302_Stranger]

If it's an EFI motor, and nearly all '86 2.3's were, then no, the '86 would have had an electric pump, or two depending on the system.

Well see , the motor is from an 89 stang. Its carb'd , so thats why i was wondering..i know my 88 has two electric fuel pumps , one in the tank and one on the frame.

[302_Stranger]

OK wait...i dont know what is wrong with me..

It is mechanical , it was right under my eyes , i dont know why i didnt happen to look..